Intelligence Prevails
by faraonj
Summary: Time. Time never stops and Harry Potter intends to make the most of it. Harry enters the Magical world with a passion to be the best he can be. (HP/HG), Intelligent, grey, skilled, Ravenclaw.
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

So, I don't know the canon plot word by word and I don't like the idea of a canon repeat. Don't expect certain events because I might not know them, but I will try my best.

Wanted to make a fanfic because I got annoyed at HP fanfics that go with canon, but only change small details or completely different ones such as vampire Harry. I just want an awesome intelligent Harry with skills and an expanded view of the magical world of Harry Potter.

I won't know the nuances or words of British culture. I'm also not great with periods and quotation marks, so if something is wrong. Tell me.

I'm a fan of short chapters.

If this FF is a success (2000 fav) then I will try different pairings such as HP/DG or HP/FD.

Note: Newbie writer here (1st FF), so write them reviews, just don't flame for no good reason.

Disclaimer: All characters and most content is the property of JKRowling. No profit, just imagination spread. This disclaimer applies to all chapters, so I don't have to repeat it.

"words" – speech/talk

'words' – thoughts

~parseltongue~

* * *

31, July 1991.

"Wake up, wake up boy! It's time to make breakfast, after that you can just do what you want since it's your birthday." yelled Vernon.

After being woken up, Harry groaned and started looking for his glasses. Taking a moment, he realizes he still has 7 more years till he can leave this stupid house.

'At least, I'll have the rest of the day to myself. I still need to return the algebra book and start preparing for secondary education.'

After finding his glasses, he got out of the cupboard and started to make breakfast ... if you could call it that.

"Well! Hurry up boy! We don't all have time to waste like you. Go get the mail after you're finished cooking."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

After putting the food on the plates, he went outside to get the mail. He noticed an owl perched on a tree nearby and thought 'that's odd, I've never seen an owl before.' Putting no more thought to it, he looks through the mail and finds one addressed to him. Confusion and even a slight trace of wonder sets in. The address is even specific to his room/cupboard.

'I don't have time to look through this right now, but I can't let them see it. Who knows what they will do if they find it?' He hid the envelope under his shirt and tucked into his pants. He then walked inside smoothly and made no disturbances that would suggest something is wrong.

Petunia said "Go to your room and remember you have to clean the porch tomorrow. I'm having a tea party with the book club later this week."

He nods and takes a plate of leftovers to his room. Vernon stops him and tells him with a dark tone "Remember boy, no funny business or else." He pretended to look scared knowing that they would only starve him a bit and walked faster to his room. After finally getting to his room, He turned on the light and looked at the envelope.

He opens it and reads each sentence:

* * *

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of necessary books and equipment. The term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely, Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

* * *

'Witchcraft? What kind of prank is this? They even got it to come here on the very day it needs to be replied to. I don't even know how to reply to them. There isn't a return address.'

He feels slightly disappointed that this was a prank. He looks over it again in detail and remembers something. "Owl… what is it about an owl...wait! There's an owl outside!"

He still feels unsure, weird things have happened around him with no understanding of why. However, he feels that this is the only chance to understand why weird things happen around him. He tears a piece of paper from a notebook and writes:

* * *

Dear whoever,

My name is Harry Potter. I am unsure whether I will attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please send someone to discuss this opportunity with me. There are many factors that concern me such as boarding, payment, and course material. I am available tomorrow afternoon.

Note: If this isn't a prank, then it would have been helpful to have more than a day to reply.

Sincerely,

Harry Potter

4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

* * *

'Hmm, that will teach them to expect students to reply the same day. Now all I need to do is fold this up and hope that owl can transport mail.'

He checks that the Dursleys have left and walks outside to find the owl still there. It sees him and swoops down grabbing the letter in its beak while flying away. Already feeling exhausted, he wants to lay down for the day, but he still has to return that book.

After returning the book to the public library, he comes back finding the Dursley's are back as well. Petunia notices him and said, "Boy, clean the front garden tomorrow as well. I expect both the porch and garden to be spectacular." and walks away.

He reads a little before deciding to go to sleep early because tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:

I plan on making multiple chapters and then posting them. I don't have a schedule, but I will post some chapters irregularly to keep content going.

* * *

It's morning and Harry just woke up. He checks the time on the clock and it's 7AM which is plenty of time to lay down for a bit more. He looks up and just daydreams. Sometimes he wonders what it would have been like if his birth parents were alive. Would they have loved him? What would they say if they saw him now? He's living in a cupboard that can't even be called a proper room. There's dust everywhere and the mattress is really just a couple of blankets. Feeling tears well up in his eyes, he rubs them dry with his sleeve. For a moment, He prays even though he doesn't want to believe in God or know how it's done.

'Mum, Dad, I hope you're well. I miss you so much. I really wish you didn't die in that car crash. I love you both always. I want to meet you both one day, so don't forget me because I won't. Please God, please protect my mum and dad.'

Harry calms down after a while and gets up at 8 AM. He opens the cupboard door and looks at the same old dreary house. It's white walls and green carpet continually in his face. He starts to make breakfast, but Petunia stops him. "Go do your chores, I will be making breakfast today per the doctor's recommendation." Confused at first, but then he understands. Supposedly, Dudley and Vernon saw the doctor the other day and received warnings about eating too much. He heard them moaning about it all day yesterday that the doctor should shut up and stay out of their business.

Grabbing a scrub and bucket full of soap water, he takes it out back to clean the porch. Luckily, the sun isn't too hot this summer with a temperature of 78 degrees. He starts to scrub the dirt off the chairs and tables while setting up the umbrella. After that, the weeds need to be pulled delicately for Petunia vain showing. Harry then grabed shears to trim the bushes but decides to take a break.

"It's been at least 2 hours, when are they going to finish eating. I'm hungry"

~ Ssstop your whining. I'm hungry as well~

Harry jumped and looked around for where the sound came from. He saw nothing and was on guard. He said "Wh-wh-who are you!? Stop hiding!"

~SSsstupid hatchling, I'm not hiding. Wait… you can understand me. SSsspeaker, look down~

Harry then looked down and saw a small garden snake then he smacked his forehead. He thought to himself. 'It's always the little things in life.'

Looking down again at the snake, he said ~Hello, what is a ssspeaker?~

~Honor to you, A ssspeaker is one that ssspeaks the ancient sssnake language. You humansss call those that ssspeak it parselmouthsss. The language itself isss called parseltongue.~

~Wow, I once sspoke to a sssnake over at the reptile zoo. Am I talking to you now through the language because I feel like I'm talking in English? Why are people like me able to ssspeak the language?~

~You are ssspeaking through the language. What else could allow you humansss to ssspeak the ancient tongue other than magic. The ancient tongue is magical in its very nature. ~

~Magic? Magic isn't real. If it was, then why does no one else know about it?~

~Ignorant hatchling. Magic is everywhere. It embodies the very life and sssoul of our world. As for why no one else knowsss, ask sssomeone else for I do not know the answer. Enough! I tire of this conversation. Listen well to my warning ssspeaker, do not ssspeak easily for your kind ssscornss the language for itsss evil past. Farewell, may we meet again one day. ~

Harry watched the snake slither away. He's stunned to find out that magic is real or how else would he be able to speak parseltongue. It's unfortunate that there is no way to understand more about the language at the moment. However, one clear warning came through. Do not speak parseltongue in the presence of others or suffer the consequences. Whatever they may be, hopefully he won't find out. Looking at the time, he decides to hurry and finish trimming the bushes and get some grub. After filling his stomach and taking another break, Harry gets the tools needed to clean up the garden out front.

While he was working on making the garden presentable, unknown to him, he was being watched. A tabby cat with a keen eye and square spectacle markings was watching the young heir work. Minerva McGonagall in her animagus form thought back to when she received the admission letter reply from Harry Potter.

* * *

*FlashBack Starts*

Professor McGonagall was in her office compiling the latest replies from muggle-born students that accepted. Soon, they would each be paired with someone and taken to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies and to answer any questions. Unfortunately, the ones that declined would have to make do with self-study if they did not have the necessary tuition or out of country schooling.

She still could not believe the biased pureblood ministry actually changed their law on the induction of muggle-born children into the magical world. It used to be that if they declined, then they would be obliviated of all knowledge to protect the secrecy of magic. Amused, she chuckled "Thank goodness for the latest research out of the Institute of Muggle Studies." Their research showed that Muggle-borns are in fact not producing squib children and are not less adept when introduced to magic. Research also showed that Muggle-born children are in fact descendants of squibs and could reignite the vaults of extinct houses. It is for this reason that the Ministry of Magic is willing to step back. It was also not helpful that more squibs were being produced from pureblood lines and quite a few are less in numbers because of the war. However, certain pureblood lines are still biased against Muggle-borns and will most likely waste their legacy away in inbreeding. She took a moment to stretch her back and asked for a house-elf to bring her tea.

While waiting for the tea too cool, a Hogwarts owl flew in and dropped another reply. She said, "Well, looks like we have a procrastinator among the new students." She opens the letter and was shocked. The possibility of Harry Potter not accepting admission did not cross her mind.

'Does he know nothing about magic or his parents? What about his relatives? This must be rectified immediately. Fortunately, Mr. Potter had the common sense to set a time to meet even if he is a bit cheeky. I sense a bit of Gryffindor in this letter.'

'Filius should come with me. It will be a chance to be one of the first to meet Lily's son and could be most helpful when interacting with the goblins. After all, It's not every day that an heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter reenters the magical world.'

She walks to the fireplace and throws floo powder inside the burning flames.

"Ravenclaw Office! Filius! Are you there? Can you come through?"

"Minerva? Yes, yes, I can. My good friend, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

She hands the letter over to Filius. While he is reading the letter, she checks the registry to confirm the address is correct.

Both Minerva and Filius said "Oh my!" Minerva's felt guilt well within and whispers "His home registry lists a cupboard as his room. I knew I shouldn't have let him stay with those awful muggles. Curse Albus for not listening to me." Her Scottish temper coming through.

Filius said, "Minerva, what is done can't be changed, only the future."

She nods somberly and tells Filius that they should leave early tomorrow. She also mentioned a trip to Diagon alley would be in order, so his experience with Gringotts would be appreciated. Filius leaves after assuring Minerva that he will make his preparations.

*Flashback ends*

* * *

Filius tells Minerva that they should go since Harry was almost finished. She transformed back into her human form and walks to Harry with Filius in tow.

"Mr. Potter? I am Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall and this is Filius Flitwick the Charms professor of Hogwarts. We are here to discuss your admission to Hogwarts."


End file.
